What is THE BEST Exercise you can do?

9 Jun 2017 3:27 PM -

We often get asked about what is the best or most effective way to train or exercise; the short answer is by doing it!

Some of the many and wondrous benefits of exercise:

1. Exercise controls weight.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases.

3. Exercise improves mood.

4. Exercise boosts energy.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep.

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

7. Exercise can be fun … and social!

8. (As a physio this one is my favourite!) Exercise done appropriately can help combat many of the occupational related aches and pains that people suffer.

I cannot count the amount of times I have heard people signing up for memberships at a gym with high hopes and only to become disinterested, discouraged and quitting before it has even started. There is no cookie-cutter activity that will yield the same results for everyone. You need to try different activities and that makes you happy. The results WILL come! Commit and everything will fall into place.

If weight loss is your goal, then choose HIIT or group training classes that’ll work up a sweat and get your heart working and get a nice little sweat going.

If you’re trying to train for an event, struggle with motivation or find the social aspects most appealing then find a group of friends with similar goals and start a group that meets up twice a week. Research has shown for some individuals that train with friends or like minded people will make the experience more enjoyable. This works both ways: competition breeds new levels of fitness and misery loves company. As well, while sharing like minded goals, training in a group can create a social atmosphere and community.

Sport-specific training, urban fitness or CrossFit/Weightlifting have all of the benefits of strength, coordination and metabolic conditioning. Although these require more training, proper technique and timing, these new-old exercise trends have the ingredients for a recipe to fitness success. Find a good box with knowledgeable coaches and let the learning begin.

If you’re looking for a good sweat, and working on flexibility and enjoy a good dance, then look into Zumba, Barre-Cardio or Spin Classes. These new exercise programs might be better suited if time is an issue and you just need to get a sweat. With a structured class with constant movement, then this might meet your fitness goals.

Are these fitness goals working towards a specific event (ie. Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, Half/Full Marathon), competitive sport-specific training, or is it a commitment to a new you?

The key is to pick something that is going to challenge you mentally and physically that will enable your short and long term goals…..and lets not forget, it has to be FUN. If you decide on an exercise program that is neither of these then you could fall into the trap, likely to throw in the towel or discourage you from coming back for the next session. There is no real exercise recipe for the ‘new you’ you need to do the activities that you enjoy. To begin, set short and long term exercise goals, and then experience as many exercise classes mentioned above until you find one that you enjoy. After all, how are you going to know which one is for you, until you experience them yourself? On a practical note; it must be sustainable; easy and convenient are the keys here. Set yourself a routine that you can maintain (doing something you like helps, but it also needs to be affordable, and easy for you to get to). Once something is routine and habit you will just do it without having to make a conscious choice each time. Lastly, enjoy what you do, and be the best version of yourself.

A professor gave me advice that I live by today in any endeavour…”The hardest thing to do is tying your shoes, and once you’ve done that-the rest is easy.”